Hand-truck.



P. P. BROWN.

HAND TRUCK. APPLIOATIOI FILED NOV. 15. 1909. 970,787. Patented sept. 20, 1910.

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f UNITED sTATEs PATENT .oEEIcEQ FRANKLIN P. BROWN, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

HAND-TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

Application filed November 15, 1909. Serial No. 528,034.

To. all whom it may concern;

Be it known that'I, FRANKLTN P. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State lof Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand-Trucks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear7 and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apperta'ins to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in hand trucks, and is especially adapted for transporting trunks up and down stairways as well as over straight surfaces.

The object of'the invention is to provide a truck which is ada ted to the above purposes and by means o1; which trunks or other heavy articles may be conveyed over fine floors `or st-airways without endangering the floors or stairways. In other words, the Hoor or stairway is prevented from being indented or marred in the least in conveying the trunk thereover.

The peculiar advantages and desirable features of the invention will be more par-y ticularly described in the following specification 'and claims in connect-ion with the accompanying drawings, of Which F igure. 1 is a top lplan view of my improved truck. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of.

the truck, showing the same in position upon a stairway and supporting a trunk.

The framework of the truck consists of two side members 1 1 which terminate at one end 'in upwardly curved portions 2 2 which provide handles and at the other end in upwardly extended portions `3 3' in which is mounted the axle for rubber tired wheels 4 4 which are used when the truck is elevated at one end as in theordinary case of usage. The side members 1 1 are attached to a suitable number of cross pieces 5y which combine with said side ieces in producing a rigidytruck frame. T e'cross pleces .5 also serve as supporting members forthe articles conveyed upon the truck, such for example as a trunk. Extending from, the frontend of the truck frame is a plate 6 pivoted at 7 which, when in an upright position, prevents the-'trunk from sllpping forwardly on the truck. The plate 6, owing to the position of its pivot may be folded against the truck frame and thus be made to occupy less space.

Mounted between the side members 1 1 of the truck framel and extending a suitable distance below the same, are a suitable number 4of rollers 8 which are utilized in moving the truck on a level surface or over a stairway. The rollers 8 receive the weight ofthe truck in such case and the trunk is also supported thereby when the device is ascending or descendn a stairway. Passing around the series of rollers 8 is an endless belt which incloses the lengths of said rollers 8 as well as the lengths of the crossl members 10 of which there is a series located between said rollers and secured between the side members 1 1 of the frame. The endless belt 9 so passing around and inclosing the rollers 8 and cross slats l0, is essentlally of a pliable or flexible nature and is preferably constructed of carpet or canvas. The said belt 9 prevents the rollers and cross slats from engaging the floor or steps when the device is being moved over eit er, and thus any possible marring or injuryto the wood-work is avoided. It will be -noted that the lower surfaces of the rollers 8 and the cross members or slats 10 lie below the lower surfaces of the side members 1 1 of the truck frame. It will therefore be seen that the side members 1 1 are prevented from engaging the ioor or stairway when the device is being moved over either. The lower run of the belt 9 is normally at rest when the truck is being thus moved and the rollers travel over the same freely. In order to prevent said rollers from bum ing against the edves of the steps, a series o cross memberslOl) to, are interposed between said -rollers-and the lower surfaces of these cross ymembers or slats are flush with the lower surfaces of said rollers. The said cross members or slats 10 thus close the spaces between the rollers and prevent the`` edges of the steps from driving the endless belt -between the rollers and thus impeding the movement of the device. The said cross members also provide with the rollers, a substantially plane surface over which the lower run of the belt passes.

A strap' 11i-is provided for holding 4the trunk in, osition while the truck is ascending or escending a stairway. The said efore referred v lower surfaces of strap is attached at one nd to the plates 6 and is adapted to pass over the top of the trunk and under a loop`12 secured to the foremost cross piece 5, at lwhich the said strap is provided with a handle 13 which may be ripped by the operator to hold the same tig t inmanipulating the truck. For example, in ascending a' stairway the operator may pull up the trunk firmly on the truck, and at the same time the truck is moved over the stairway.

I desire to claim:

l. A truck vcomprising side members united to a suitable number of cross pieces to provide a rigid frame, said side members providingy upturned handles at one end and upwardly extended journal extensions at the other end, wheels supported upon said upturned journal extensions, a series of rollers mounted between said side members, a series of cross pieces mounted between said side members and parallel with the rollers, the

said rollers and cross pieces `coinciding and lying below the lower surfaces of the side membersand an endless belt passing around said rollers and cross pieces and inelosing the entire lengths as speeied.

2'. In a truck, parallel side members united to cross pieces to provide a frame, said on the strap 11 to holdI frame having truck wheels atrone end which lie u wardly and out of the plane of the side mem ers and serve' as the transporting wheels when the truck is elevated, in com bination with a series between said side members and servin as the transporting means when the truc is moved horizontally, and an endless belt surrounding said rollers and inelosing them substantially throughout their lengths.

3. In a device of the class specified, a frame consisting of side members united to suitable cross pieces, said side members being extended upwardly to provide bearings for wheels mounted at the front end of the truck, and the rearward ends of said side members providing handles, a series of rollers mounted between said side members, the lower surfaces of said rollers lying below the lower surfaces of said side members and an endless belt passing around said rollers and inelosing the same substantially throughout the lengths thereof.

In testimony whereof I aixmy signature, in presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN i?. BnowN.

Witnesses:

MATTHEW l SEIBLER, Y HOWARD S. SMITH.

of rollers mountedy the lforward ends of' 

